What Is Meant by Describing Something as 'French'?

[WhyWasThat]

I've always wondered what exactly people mean when they describe something - usually a film or game - as being 'French'. Usually of course said film or game is directed/produced/developed by a French individual or team, but I certainly don't think that people are referring purely to the nationality of the folk behind the production.

An example would be The Fifth Element. That film is in English, has plenty of American and English actors (Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, etc.), it's sci-fi and it's an action movie. But it's described as 'French' as if that means something significant.

An example of a game that springs to mind would be Heavy Rain. David Cage is himself French, of course, but the game is set in America with what is supposed to be an American cast of characters.

I just don't get it, Big Dan.

 

[Stasisesque]

The Fifth Element is an English-language French science fiction film. It's not English, it's just in English. It was written and directed by a Frenchman, production design was done by two Frenchmen, and the costumes were designed by Jean-Paul Gautier and all done for French cinema.

Heavy Rain is a very "film noir", a term originally coined (obviously) by a French film critic.

 

[WhyWasThat]

The Fifth Element is an English-language French science fiction film. It's not English, it's just in English.

Note I said that The Fifth Element is IN English. I never said that it IS English.
Thanks for the reply, though.

 

[Stasisesque]

The Fifth Element is an English-language French science fiction film. It's not English, it's just in English.

Note I said that The Fifth Element is IN English. I never said that it IS English.
Thanks for the reply, though.

I'm just pointing out that that is really the only thing English (or I guess, American, though I'm not sure what would make it American - Bruce Willis?) about The Fifth Element. It is very much a French film, it just doesn't happen to be in French.

 

[WhyWasThat]

I'm just pointing out that that is really the only thing English (or I guess, American, though I'm not sure what would make it American - Bruce Willis?) about The Fifth Element. It is very much a French film, it just doesn't happen to be in French.

I get you, though to be honest I'm still not really sure about the answer to my question

 

[Midnight Llamaman]

Fifth Element feels French, there's a certain quality to it (visual design, shot composition etc) that I personally find identifiably French. It's evident in most of Luc Besson's work (because he's French, go figure), arguably more so in say Léon and less so in The Transporter, but it's there and it's not just limited to that director.

 

[WhyWasThat]

Fifth Element feels French, there's a certain quality to it (visual design, shot composition etc) that I personally find identifiably French. It's evident in most of Luc Besson's work (because he's French, go figure), arguably more so in say Léon and less so in The Transporter, but it's there and it's not just limited to that director.

I see.

 

[Albino Boo]

I've always wondered what exactly people mean when they describe something - usually a film or game - as being 'French'. Usually of course said film or game is directed/produced/developed by a French individual or team, but I certainly don't think that people are referring purely to the nationality of the folk behind the production.

An example would be The Fifth Element. That film is in English, has plenty of American and English actors (Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, etc.), it's sci-fi and it's an action movie. But it's described as 'French' as if that means something significant.

An example of a game that springs to mind would be Heavy Rain. David Cage is himself French, of course, but the game is set in America with what is supposed to be an American cast of characters.

I just don't get it, Big Dan.

The fifth element was a French production, written by a Frenchman, directed by a Frenchman, with a largely French crew and costumes and designs also done by Frenchmen. The only real American part of the film was one or two of the actors.

Luc Besson in the early part of his career specialised in marrying the American action movie with the French arthouse style. The style is known in France as the Cinéma du look. Basicly its a less macho interpretation of the action movie with more character and female roles being stronger. Besson did it in French first with films like Nikita and Subway and, I think perfected it, with the US film Leon. His latter career he mainly produced and the films being rather juvenile wish fulfilment actioners i.e the taxi series and the transporter series.